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He felt his face flushing. He had not expected this. He had thought that she would do the telling, and in her own way, and he said so: "It...x should really come from you, Rosie."

"No. No. Please, John. I couldn't.

I mean..." She drooped her head and at this he looked from Helen to Leonard then after a long pause, he said "Well, it was like this. I was up in London for four days, on a twoday course of lectures and we bumped into each other in the street." He stopped here, then said "I'm referring to Teddy Golding..."

"Teddy Golding?"' Helen's voice was high with surprise, and at this, her husband put out his hand and, patting her knee, said, "Shh! Listen, dear." And as John went on, so she sat and listened. And now and again she would turn her head and glance towards Rosie, her look saying,

"I can't believe it"

When John neared the end of the tale he left out the scene between Beatrice and himself. But what he did say was, "I know I could have kept this to myself, but I also knew how Rosie was still feeling. As she herself said, the feeling of rejection was unbearable at times, more so, I should think because she did not know the reason for it. Teddy's rejection of her had seemed to be so casual, and knowing what had pre viously transpired between them, she had found it impossible to come to terms with it. And another reason why I felt she should be told was that if she ever married or I should perhaps say, allowed herself to be married the feeling would have remained with her, for she had lost her trust in men." He now looked

IBOSS at Rosie, to see her gazing at him, her eyes still. "And it had prevented her from showing her l feelings for Robbie." He now drew in a long aa and said, he rest Rosie can tell you herself.

I think her expression speaks for her."

*iHelen rose from her chair and went to Rosie and, kwing her up from the couch, put her arms about bar rather, but seemingly found it difficult to speak, so Rosie d 'It's all right, Helen.

I'm...I'm all right now. bar to Bce John told me the truth that feeling of stigma dgS been lifted off my mind, and I no longer feel Nequate. Yet, it all happened at a cost to John. It's et his life."

bar bar At this John remarked promptly,

"You needn't J bar ny about that, Rosie; it was upset some time ago." What are you going to do?"'

Helen's question did bring an immediate answer from him. And when gave it, his gaze was directed away from her.

'I'm iwing her. In fact, I've already done so.

I have ved into the annexe with Mother. And," there was bar te a long pause before he added, "I'm applying for tegal separation."

l bar There followed another embarrassed silence, until bar bar onard altered the course of the conversation as he . ked at Rosie and Robbie and asked "When is it to

the wedding?"'

y0h' comRobbie jerked his chin- "for myself it Uld have been next week. But this woman here" --

glanced at Rosie- "fancies a church wedding." Bid Rosie, smiling now, added simply, he banns up on Sunday."

i bar Good. Good. I'm happy for you both.

And that dises for Helen, too, doesn't it?"'

Helen answered briskly. "Oh, yes.

Yes. But it should have happened ages ago. You're a stiff-necked Scot. D'you know that?"' comshe stabbed her forefinger towards Robbie- "You should have made your feelings clear years ago."

"Helen! Helen!" Leonard, catching hold of her skirt, tugged her gently towards him, saying, "Every man has his reasons, and Robbie certainly had his. Not everyone is like me, rushing in where angels fear to tread."

John did not feel envy, but just a slight pain in that special place below his ribs as he saw the exchanged glance between them. Then Leonard again changed the subject by looking at him and saying, "Do you play bridge?"'

Oh bridge?"' John shook his head.

'Haven't done for years; not since college days."

"Whist then?"'

"Oh, yes, whist. I've devised a two-handed game with my mother. It's a bit complicated. You've got to do as much thinking as one would at chess."

"You play chess?"'

"Yes. Yes, I like a game of chess, whenever possible. But I seem to have so little spare time."

He was about to go on when Helen, getting to her feet, said suddenly, "Come on, Rosie, et's show Robbie how to grow vegetables. We've got a good patch, too, you know." And Robbie, smiling at her, said "I'm out to learn Miss Helen,"

only to glance quickly toward Leonard and apologise, "Oh, I'm sorry. It's...x's habit. I meant..."

"Never mind what you meant" Helen put in quickly, "just drop the miss, for you will soon be roy lerin-law." She smiled widely at him now.

Then s a short pause, she ended, "And that will be most Keome. But come on, both of you, before it starts j bar Left alone, the two men looked at each other and eemed that one was waiting for the other to speak. was Leonard who spoke and there was bitterness Ns voice as he said, his is a stinking disease,

"*tit?"'

('bar bar ohn found himself blinking rapidly, and he wetted ,- lips before he could answer. 'I understand they researching hard for a break-through."

Jl*allyes, that's what they tell me. But in the meantime JB is sent to the South coast, or to Switzerland. And Jliat does it do? Just prolongs the agony." Then, his e altering, he said, 'allyou likely know Doctor Pe-disgreater-than ?"'

jl'allyes. Yes, we've met on several occasions." He

3de himself smile as he said, 'allyes, he has his patch d Doctor Comwallis our patch."

H'Have you many TB patients? bar i "A few. It seems to run in families." bar bar

"Do you find them ostracised?"' t'John raised his eyebrows as he repeated, "Ostrajled?"' Then after thinking a minute, he said, "Yes, I ppose they are to a certain extent. But it isn't depberate; it must really be through fear." "

'allyes, fear." Leonard's head now was nodding.

We've experienced that. But I wouldn't give a damn bar lw myself; it's...x's Helen." He moved forward in e chair, then turned and looked towards the window bar te he said slowly, 'allyou know, when we were first bar tnarried and used to come here visiting Helen's

friends the place seemed to be swarming with other visitors, all desirous of giving us a good time.

It was the same up in town, especially after I unfortunately came into the title. But when I developed this" comhe tapped his chest- "except for one or two here and there, the others melted like snow under sun, espe cially those who had young sons or daughters. But it's" comand he smiled wanly now-

"I suppose it's natural. I've asked myself, would I not have done the same? But-" he deliberately tamed and looked at John again as he said, "I'm not concerned about company for myself it's Helen. She hides it but she has felt the rejection of friends. There were the Maldons, and the Oswalds, and the Fenwicks. They had known her for years, long before I came on the scene. In fact, I understand that the older members had been regular visitors at their house. But now the only ones she sees are the Conisbees and the Maguires, and, of course Dashing Daisy. Oh, I don't know how she would get on without Daisy. You'll have to meet her." He gave a mirthless augh now as he said,

"Lena Conisbee's as deaf as a stone, and he has a voice like a roaring bull. You know, I look forward to their visits, because one can't help laughing at them especially when she answers the question he has never asked. And then she yells, and he yells at her, and she yells back

"I'm not that deaf." The Maguires are different: they are quiet, too sympathetic. But there again, they never bring their two sons. I understand all this, for myself I do, but when I realize that I brought all this on Helen..."

John put in sharply, You shouldn't think about it like that; I'm sure Helen doesn't. She's deeply con-Htted for you, that's all, she won't be thinking of Helf. And feel sure that you are the only company wants."

BiLeonard stared at John for a long moment before bar said, 'Would you come over now and again for a Bne of whist or chess, or what have you?"'

bar *allyes, I would like to; but ten, it must perfrce be dmatter of timing. You see, I do surgery most eve-gs; I have one day off a week, and a full week-d a month. The afternoons would be my best time Iptween half-past two and five."

I ha would be fine. Yes; yes. But what do you do

er you finish surgery? Oh, I forgot I'm sorry, one B bar ecomes selfish.

You have your mother with you, and B bar understand she is rather porly."

p'Oh, well, she's not poorly i what you could say

sick way, but she suffers badly from arthritis in her

bar bar egs and finds it difficult to get about'

I "Would she mind meeting me?"'

l Mind... meeting you?"' John had spaced the words;

spti repeated them quickly, saying, Mind meeting HO? Mother? She'd be delighted. But unfortunately

could never get her up into the trap, it's too high."

bar bar What about a carriage? I mean, our carriage. It

tos two detachable steps. s she a big woman?"'

bar bar 'ationo, anything but."

jl "Then she could be lifted into the carriage.

It's very

bar comfortable."

I John thought for a moment; then smiling, he said, bar She would like that. Oh, yes. She never gets out. Yes.

Yes, indeed, she wuld like that."

I "We'll do something about it then, eh?"' and Leon-bar ard returned John's smile, his gaunt features stretched

,eaaRather"ffBS'L1"1

o you've come back at last Miss

Simmons?"' IglWell, Cook 'tis me half day of" replied the Itefaen aid. "And I was, sort of comshe grinned dely now-

'detained."

""Detained?"' This came from Frances, who sat at I end of the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea.

aDd she tued er head towards Janie Bluett, sitting

iposite, and repeated, Detained? She was detained." 'en looking at the young girl, she said,

'And who

ee you detained by?"'

H Mary now slowly took off her short jacket and unaned her straw hat before, brightly, she said, The

ide."

H When she did not go on, but turned to hang her at on the back of the kitchen door Cook, with an jkaggerated gesture, pulled out a chair and said, jon't you sit down, miss?"'

1 And when, quite coolly, Mary sat down, the two aids burt out laughing; and Cook, gazing down on

* r young assistant, said "You're askin" for your ears ybe clipped, aren't you? Well... go on."

When Mary did not go on, Frances, leaning forward on the table, looked at her and said, 'Tell us about the wedding. How did she look?"'

Immediately Mary's small show of defiance was swept away, and following Frances's action, she too leaned forward and, joining her hands tightly to gether, as if to give emphasis to her words, she said, "She looked lovely. Beautiful. And he was as smart as smart. It was lovely. Her dress wasn't exactly white; not white, you know, just like a creamy colour, and it had three skirts, and the bodice was all tucks. And she had elbow sleeves and the rill on the end was embroidered with tiny pink roses. It was the same on the panel in the ront of her bodice. Oh, she did look lovely."

"Was the church full?"' Cook had now seated herself, and Mary answered, "No. No, it wasn't really full, and they were mostly Robbie Macintosh's people. There seemed a lot of them; but Miss Rosie only had the doctor and Miss Helen. He gave her away. Oh, he looked smart an" all. And Miss Helen. Eeh!"

comshe put her hand across her mouth- 'I always call her Miss Helen-I don't think of her as Lady Spears-but she looked lovely an" all. She always did look lovely, didnt she? And the organ played lovely and when Miss Rosie walked back down the aisle, her arm linked in Robbie Macintosh's, I could have cried. There were crowds outside and they followed them across to the George and Crown where the re' ception was being held." She now looked from one to the other as she said, 'I forgot to tell you that she arrived in the coach with Miss Helen and the doctor.

husband didn't come; Miss Helen's, hat is. They lbe's bad."

lyell," put in Cook, 'where did this, your being lned, come in?"'

IpVell, you see Cook, it was like this: I went with acowd across the road, and I can tell you I nearly J bar at on me back once with all the rice that was lying "that. Anyway, gradually people thinned out, you w, when they couldn't see any more, and I was Then up came this fella. He startled the wits out

" Hisby '*So'-

jae. He grabbed my arm and he said, "Come on k the bride wants to see you." And I was for sayWell, I can't go in there. I'm not ogged up," he said, 'She wants a word with you. Come on!"

the actually pulled me up the steps and into the and then into a room where there was a crowd ffolk And he pushed his way to where Miss Rosie . standing, and she took my hand. And you know at she said?"'

J bar They waited, all staring at her. And now there was bar bar aeak in Mary's voice as she went on, 'She said, ifts lovely to see you, Mary.

Tell Cook and the girls ,bar ish they could have been here." Yes, that's what

* i said."

ll'There was silence around the table and Cook's regtion was to pat her lips quickly with her fingers.

3t both Frances and Janie groped

for handkerchiefs stnd their apron bibs and dabbed at their eyes.

bar It was a full minute later when Mary went on with Cr tale. "Miss Rosie then said, "You must stay and disave something to eat." And then there was a lot of 'JS-KNOWLEDGE and laughter and pushing and shoving, and there aas waiters going round with trays with glasses of

wine on them, and Robbie Macintosh took off one and handed it to me. Well, me hand shook so much that I narly spilt it; and then he bent towards me and whispered, "Don't waste that stuff, Mary; it cost a lot of money." And at this Miss Rosie laughed out loud, and she pushed him, he who's her husband now, and their glasses nearly spilt. And tere we were-I couldn't believe it-the three of us laughing our heads off; and then his mother came up and spoke to me, and she started to laugh, and that seemed to set off everybody else. Most of them didn't know what they were laughing about. Eeh! It was lovely.